The road to a World Cup final is supposed to be about goals, glory, and greatness. For Lionel Messi’s Argentina, the 2022/2026 tournament run has also been about something else: controversy.
Across social media and in press conferences, a narrative has grown louder with every knockout round — that Argentina benefited from “favourable” refereeing decisions. Fans even coined the nickname “VARgentina”. c73b
Here’s the timeline of complaints that followed La Albiceleste all the way to the final:
1. Group Stage: The Poland Penalty & “Stoppage Time” Noise
The whispers started early. In the group win over Poland, VAR awarded Argentina a penalty after a challenge on Messi. BBC pundit Rio Ferdinand called it a “disgraceful and outrageous decision”.
Back in the opening shock loss to Saudi Arabia, some also questioned stoppage time, claiming officials were desperate to help Argentina equalize. 5d79
2. Round of 16: Egypt’s 3-2 Heartbreak
This is where it exploded. Egypt led Argentina 2-0 before Messi’s side mounted a late comeback to win 3-2.
Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassan accused FIFA of abandoning “fair play” and suggested Argentina received favourable treatment. He even said: “Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champions in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running.” b9ae9b87
Egypt filed an official complaint to FIFA citing:
- A disallowed Egyptian goal in the 58th minute
- A denied penalty for a foul on Mohamed Salah
- An uncalled Argentine foul right before Argentina’s 93rd-minute winner 9b875d791c0f
FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina hit back, saying “Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials… Nobody can claim that FIFA refereeing can be influenced by anyone”. 9b87
3. Quarter-Final: The “Battle of Lahoz” vs Netherlands
Argentina’s shootout win over the Netherlands produced 19 yellow cards and broke a World Cup record.
Messi himself slammed referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz: “FIFA has to review that, it can’t give a referee like that a match of this importance, when they’re not up to the task.” “He was always against us.”
FIFA even opened disciplinary proceedings against the Argentine FA over the comments. 2346b05b
4. Quarter-Final/Semi-Final Run: Switzerland & The New VAR Rule
Against Switzerland, Breel Embolo was sent off for simulation after VAR applied a new “mistaken identity” protocol. Swiss coach Murat Yakin called it “unacceptable”.
Analyst Christina Unkel, a former FIFA referee, said the protocol was “like a powder keg” and that VAR was now in “re-refereeing area”. That it benefited Argentina only “stoked the flames of fan outrage”. c73b
5. 2026 World Cup: Algeria & England Complaints
The narrative carried into the latest tournament.
- Algeria lodged a complaint after a 3-0 loss, alleging Messi should have been sent off for a studs-up tackle on Aissa Mandi. Messi stayed on and scored a hat-trick.
- England accused Argentina of “dark arts” in their semi-final. Reports claimed Argentina used late tackles, off-ball challenges, and pressured referee Ismail Elfath. Spain defender Aymeric Laporte also warned that Argentina “like to leave a mark on their opponents” and that referees had been too lenient. bf57b689e5616b04
6. The Final Flashpoint: France 2022
Even the Qatar 2022 final vs France wasn’t spared. French fans and media petitioned to replay the match, claiming Argentina’s 3-2 extra time goal should have been disallowed because two substitutes were on the pitch. Referee Szymon Marciniak hit back at the accusations of bias. 9090
So Was It Bias or Just “Dark Football”?
Argentina did commit 87 fouls during the tournament, more than any other team. Opponents described it as aggressive, “karate”-style disruption designed to rattle teams. 6b04e797
But FIFA has consistently denied any bias. Collina said “Constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of football, but unfounded allegations have no place in our sport”. 9b87
What’s undeniable: every 50-50 call involving Messi’s Argentina was magnified. Whether it was a penalty, a VAR review, or a card not shown, it fed a conspiracy that refused to die. 5d79
Argentina fans will say they won through mentality, Messi magic, and resilience. Opponents will say they won while playing on the edge — and with the whistle.
One thing is certain: Messi’s path to World Cup glory wasn’t just about football. It was about surviving the noise, the fouls, and the refereeing storms along the way.
